Behind the scenes at a Sounders game

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Someone screams, “Scarves up!” The crowd begins marching down the street, screaming and cheering for their favorite team, “I know I am, I’m sure I am.” Green and blue smoke rises above their heads, framing the entrance to the stadium.

I can’t believe I’m in Seattle’s Pioneer Square and part of the scene that’s the “March to the Match” that occurs before every home Seattle Sounders FC game. The march is full of enthusiasm, optimism, and pure excitement as the crowd prepares to watch another terrific game of soccer.

Ever since the Sounders came to Seattle, I’ve wanted to attend a match. Last Saturday, 10 other interns and I livedNorthwest Profile #26, and went to a Seattle Sounders FC match. Not only that, we got a behind-the-scenes tour of the Sounders operations.

We arrived at the stadium at 10:30 a.m. – a few hours before the gate opened – to be taken on a tour of the Sounders stadium. From coaches’ booths to producer rooms and after-game player hangout zones, we got a peek as to how things get done behind the scenes at Sounders FC.

I had no idea that a few players go to “autograph alley” and give autographs to kids after each game. I didn’t know that there are “blue rooms” and “green rooms” for the Seahawks and Sounders players to go to after the game to hang with their friends and family (talk about a family dinner party!).

If you want to see some of the best views of the field, here’s my recommendation: go to the elevator waiting areas on some of the upper floors – who would’ve known? We got to see the production room that shows all the video screens that display every angle of the field and fans. The amount of time and energy it takes to put on a Sounders game is amazing.

After touring the stadium, we participated in the Sounders “March to the Match.” Die-hard fans arrive early at Pioneer Square for a rally and then march to the stadium together. All the way down the streets, fans (including us interns) held their Sounders scarves high, and chanted Sounders FC fight songs, while the Sound Wave (their official band) played along.